1
Basi huyo Musa alikuwa akilichunga kundi la Yethro mkwewe, kuhani wa Midiani; akaliongoza kundi nyuma ya jangwa, akafika mpaka mlima wa Mungu, hata Horebu.
Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
2
Malaika wa Bwana akamtokea, katika mwali wa moto uliotoka katikati ya kijiti; akatazama, na kumbe! Kile kijiti kiliwaka moto, nacho kijiti hakikuteketea.
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed.
3
Musa akasema, Nitageuka sasa, niyaone maono haya makubwa, na sababu kijiti hiki hakiteketei.
So Moses thought, “I must go over and see this marvelous sight. Why is the bush not burning up?”
4
Bwana alipoona ya kuwa amegeuka ili atazame, Mungu akamwita kutoka katikati ya kile kijiti, akasema, Musa! Musa! Akasema, Mimi hapa.
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from within the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered.
5
Naye akasema, Usikaribie hapa; vua viatu vyako miguuni mwako; maana mahali hapo unaposimama ni nchi takatifu.
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
6
Tena akasema, Mimi ni Mungu wa baba yako, Mungu wa Ibrahimu, Mungu wa Isaka, na Mungu wa Yakobo. Musa akaficha uso wake; kwa maana aliogopa kumwangalia Mungu.
Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
7
Bwana akasema, Hakika nimeyaona mateso ya watu wangu walioko Misri, nami nimekisikia kilio chao kwa sababu ya wasimamizi wao; maana nayajua maumivu yao;
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
8
nami nimeshuka ili niwaokoe na mikono ya Wamisri, niwapandishe kutoka nchi ile, hata nchi njema, kisha pana; nchi ijaayo maziwa na asali; hata mahali pa Mkanaani, na Mhiti, na Mwamori, na Mperizi, na Mhivi, na Myebusi.
I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
9
Basi, tazama, kilio cha wana wa Israeli kimenifikilia; tena nimeyaona hayo mateso ambayo Wamisri wanawatesa.
And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians are oppressing them.
10
Haya, basi, nitakutuma sasa kwa Farao, ili upate kuwatoa watu wangu, hao wana wa Israeli, katika Misri.
Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
11
Musa akamwambia Mungu, Mimi ni nani, hata niende kwa Farao, nikawatoe wana wa Israeli watoke Misri?
But Moses asked God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
12
Akasema, Bila shaka mimi nitakuwa pamoja nawe; na dalili ya kuwa nimekutuma ndiyo hii; utakapokuwa umekwisha kuwatoa hao watu katika Misri, mtamwabudu Mungu katika mlima huu.
“I will surely be with you,” God said, “and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship God on this mountain.”
13
Musa akamwambia Mungu, Tazama, nitakapofika kwa wana wa Israeli, na kuwaambia, Mungu wa baba zenu amenituma kwenu; nao wakaniuliza, Jina lake n'nani? Niwaambie nini?
Then Moses asked God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ What should I tell them?”
14
Mungu akamwambia Musa, MIMI NIKO AMBAYE NIKO;akasema,Ndivyo utakavyowaambia wana wa Israeli;MIMI NIKO amenituma kwenu.
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
15
Tena Mungu akamwambia Musa, Waambie wana wa Israeli maneno haya, Bwana, Mungu wa baba zenu, Mungu wa Ibrahimu, Mungu wa Isaka, Mungu wa Yakobo, amenituma kwenu; hili ndilo jina langu hata milele, nalo ni kumbukumbu langu hata vizazi vyote.
God also told Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.
16
Enenda, ukawakusanye wazee wa Israeli pamoja, ukawaambie, Bwana, Mungu wa baba zenu, Mungu wa Ibrahimu, Mungu wa Isaka, Mungu wa Yakobo, amenitokea, akaniambia, Hakika nimewajilieni, tena nimeyaona mnayotendewa huko Misri;
Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me and said: I have surely attended to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.
17
Nami nimesema, Nitawapandisha kutoka katika mateso ya Misri na kuwaingiza katika nchi ya Mkanaani, na Mhiti, na Mwamori, na Mperizi, na Mhivi, na Myebusi, nchi ijaayo maziwa na asali.
And I have promised to bring you up out of your affliction in Egypt, into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’
18
Nao watakusikia sauti yako; nawe utakwenda, wewe na wazee wa Israeli kwa mfalme wa Misri, na kumwambia, Bwana Mungu wa Waebrania, amekutana nasi; basi sasa twakuomba, tupe ruhusa twende mwendo siku tatu jangwani, ili tumtolee dhabihu Bwana Mungu wetu.
The elders of Israel will listen to what you say, and you must go with them to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’
19
Nami najua ya kuwa huyo mfalme wa Misri hatawapa ruhusa mwende zenu, la, hata kwa mkono wa nguvu.
But I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless a mighty hand compels him.
20
Nami nitaunyosha mkono wangu, na kuipiga Misri kwa ajabu zangu zote, nitakazofanya kati yake, kisha baadaye atawapa ruhusa kwenda.
So I will stretch out My hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders I will perform among them. And after that, he will release you.
21
Nami nitawapa watu hao kufadhiliwa mbele ya Wamisri; hata itakuwa, hapo mtakapokwenda zenu hamtakwenda kitupu;
And I will grant this people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you leave, you will not go away empty-handed.
22
Lakini kila mwanamke ataomba kwa jirani, na kwa huyo akaaye naye nyumbani, vyombo vya fedha, na vyombo vya dhahabu, na mavazi; nanyi mtawavika wana wenu na binti zenu; nanyi mtawateka nyara Wamisri.
Every woman shall ask her neighbor and any woman staying in her house for silver and gold jewelry and clothing, and you will put them on your sons and daughters. So you will plunder the Egyptians.”